What your sleeping position says about you

As you drift off into the land of wink and nod your body naturally moves into a position that feels most comfortable and familiar.

Maybe you enjoy being tucked up in a little ball on your side, or maybe you prefer to be sprawled out across the bed?

Either way, whatever your preferred position, sleep scientists and body language experts are now suggesting that your sleeping position could reveal a lot about your personality.

Sleep is a very personal thing and it is often only when we are truly relaxed that we can fall asleep, so perhaps it makes sense that our sleeping style can help reveal different aspects of our personality.

Researcher, Chris Idzikowski from the Sleep Assessment and Advisory service and Robert Phipps, a body language expert conducted studies into sleeping positions and found that there could be some correlation between your sleeping position and your personality.

The researchers also discovered that your sleeping position could provide information not only on your personality, but also on your current emotional, physical and mental health.

Whether it’s curled up in a foetal position or sprawled out like a starfish, your sleeping position can indicate a lot about your personality and who you really are.

Here are the most common sleeping positions and what they reveal about your personality, as well as some helpful suggestions for making improvements for a better nights sleep –

Sleeping Curled Up on Your Side

Sleeping in the foetal position is common for most people but could indicate that you are prone to worry and anxiety. According to Phipps’ research, it could also indicate that you struggle to let down your guard and perhaps you are softer and more emotional than you let on.

The act of curling up in a ball or reverting back to foetal position may also indicate that you are trying to protect yourself or that you may lack self-esteem or feel self conscious about your body or your current life path.

According to Dr Rachel Salas from the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, those who sleep in this position could be setting themselves up for issues with the neck, shoulders and legs due to the nerve compression that occurs when your curled in a ball. Acid reflux can also be made worse by sleeping in this position.

To counteract any negative side-effects, Salas recommends sleeping next to a body pillow to support the back and neck, or sleeping with a thin pillow in between your knees.

Sleeping With Arms Stretched Out on Your Side

This position is similar to the foetal position, but instead of being curled into a ball your arms are stretched out in front of you. This position is commonly referred to as the “Yearner” by sleep experts.

Those who sleep like this are believed to be searching or yearning for something in their lives that they simply can’t grab or are struggling to achieve.

It is believed that those who sleep like this may also be slow to make decisions or may have a difficult time getting motivated. This may also be due to the fact that they tend to be cynical or suspicious of others and their motives.

In fact, if you find yourself switching to this style of sleeping position it could be that you are struggling to get ahead or that you are very cynical or suspicious about someone or something.

According to Dr Salas, those who sleep in this position may also benefit from having a thin pillow in-between their knees or behind them in order to support their back.

Sleeping on Your Side with Arms and Legs Straight

This position is referred to as the “Log” and involves sleeping on your side with both your arms and legs straight.

Researchers found that those who sleep in this particular position are very social and love to be around others. They are also shown to be very carefree when it comes to life and making decisions.

If you find yourself sleeping in the Log position, it can also indicate that perhaps you are being too trusting of something or someone. It can also indicate that you are easily manipulated and perhaps have to stand your ground or set boundaries with others.

Sleeping in this position may also indicate that you are excited by a new love interest or that you are looking forward to tomorrow.

From a health perspective, sleeping in this position can help to deal with hip pain, however it is suggested to place something in-between your knees to help ease the stress on the spine.

Sleeping On Your Back with Arms By Side

Experts refer to this sleeping position as the “Soldier” and for good reason. It involves sleeping on your back with your hands straight down your side, very much like a standing soldier.

Those who find themselves sleeping in this position tend to be reserved or guarded when it comes to life and how they approach things. It can also indicate that they have very high standards or perhaps have been let down by someone close to them.

Sleeping in the soldier position could also indicate the need to lighten up or let go and relax a little bit more.

Even though this is not a very common sleeping style, experts have found that those who do sleep like this usually report having a very deep and restful sleep.

From a health perspective, sleeping on your back is also one of the best ways to support your neck and spine, however it can make you prone to snoring. Dr Salas suggests those who sleep like this should ensure their pillow is supportive and lifts the head slightly.

Sleeping on Your Back With Arms or Legs Out

If you find yourself sprawled out on the bed like a starfish it could indicate that you are easy going and happy but that you are also prone to people-pleasing.

Sleeping sprawled out also indicates confidence but perhaps could also indicate that you struggle with accepting compliments or praise for what you have done.

This sleeping position can also indicate a difficulty in being intimate with others or problems with sharing your personal space.

Those who sleep like a starfish are also generally very good at listening and tend to be the go-to person when friends need to vent or require help with something.

Dr Salas suggests that people who sleep in this position should ensure their pillow is supportive of their neck and shoulders to avoid any issues with back pain or snoring.

Sleeping on your Stomach

If you like to fall asleep on your stomach or in the “freefall” position as experts refer to it, it could mean that you are feeling pushed and pulled by life.

Those who sleep in this position may feel that they have no control over their life and are in a way, surrendering to whatever is coming their way. It could also indicate a desire to let go or perhaps make changes to their life.

Sleeping in the freefall position may also indicate anxiousness or stress about the future or about the way life has been going.

On the flipside, sleeping in this position can also indicate someone who is very outgoing but also likes to be in control.

According to Dr. Salas sleeping in this position can cause a lot of neck strain, so she recommends switching to sleeping on your side or back instead.

Just like your personality can change over the years, so too can your sleeping position.

In fact, Idzikowski discovered that 95 percent of the population change their sleeping position on a regular basis and this could very well be connected to emotional and mental states.

So tonight as you are drifting off to sleep in your favourite position, take a moment to observe your posture and see if it coincides with these personality traits.